


My Brother

by Grayson1996



Series: Whumptober [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Bombs, Brotherhood, Dick Grayson Whump, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explosions, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Tim Drake-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26766019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grayson1996/pseuds/Grayson1996
Summary: Tim and Dick's relationship has been on the rocks for the last year and a half, ever since Tim was fired from being Robin. Tim is angry and Dick is just trying to figure out how to fix it. The two are forced to work a case together and an explosion leads to several revelations, a few broken bones, and more than one apology.
Series: Whumptober [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950844
Comments: 4
Kudos: 130
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	My Brother

**Author's Note:**

> It’s October cool cats (31 days of Halloween is the only thing getting me through this year). Which means its time for everyone’s favorite thing ‘Whumptober’! 
> 
> Prompt: No. 9 (For The Greater Good) “Run!”
> 
> This is the first time I’ve ever written a Tim centric fic, so buckle in!

He’s pissed.

Angry, agitated, annoyed, vexed, irritated and pretty much every other adjective you could come up with.

Timothy Drake was perturbed and rightfully so.

Tim had felt he had proven himself to his family time and time again especially within the last year and a half. He had left Gotham and searched for Bruce when everyone else thought he was dead. He had found proof that the man was alive and helped bring him back to the correct time. He had even gone head to head with Ra’s al Ghul and won, severely crippling the League of Shadows in the process. Over the last 18 months, he had established himself as a capable and intellectual  _ solo _ hero, one that didn’t have to depend on others to get a job done.

So the fact that Bruce had forced him to allow Dick to join him on a simple undercover mission was slightly insulting. He didn’t need a babysitter and he especially didn’t need to be around his older brother any more than necessary. Tim knows why Bruce was so adamant that Dick tag along, he knows that his Father is unsettled by the rift that appeared between the two in his absence. But frankly, that’s not Tim’s problem. Dick was the one to fire him from being Robin, Dick was the one who didn’t believe him when he said Bruce was still alive. Dick was the one to push Tim away.

And if Dick didn’t want Tim around then fine, Tim wasn’t going to force himself into his brother’s company. The older man had offered what felt like empty apologies when Tim had returned with Bruce a few months ago. 

_ ‘Timmy you have to understand why I did it. It’s not because I didn’t want you to be Robin. Robin is Batman’s protege, you and I are equals, allies. And Damian needed it, more than you, he needed a legacy just as tempting as al Ghuls. I knew you’d be okay, I love you Timmy we’re brothers, this doesn’t change anything.’ _

But it did. It changed everything. 

Because Dick Grayson was the kind of man with a smile always on his face and an ‘I love you’ always at the tip of his tongue. The type of man who hugged tightly and laughed loudly, who said what he meant. But Tim Drake was the kind of man who knew what a genteel mask looked like, was raised on false praise and sweet words with no meaning. Tim learned to find meaning in action, not words. And Dick’s actions told Tim another story, it told Tim that Dick thought he wasn’t useful. And there was nothing worse to Tim then not being useful.

So for the last six months since he returned to the manor he had done his best to avoid his brother. Done his best to distance himself from the family. Every once in a while they would run into each other, Tim on his way out to Wayne Enterprises and Dick on his way in from dropping Damian off at school. When they did, Tim would notice an expression on Dick’s face that almost looked like regret.

This mission would be the first time the two were forced to actually communicate, and Tim was not happy.

Looking down at his watch he saw that it was almost 8:45pm and there was still no sign of Dick. With a heavy sigh, he shoved his hands deep inside the pockets of his battered blue jeans and looked back at the club he was standing in front of. 

The Fish Tank was a half club half drug front run by the Great White Shark himself, Warren White. Tim had been tracking down a shipment of cocaine that Sharks men had brought in via the harbor only to have it stolen from under their noses by The Penguin. The Penguins flock and Sharks school of henchmen had been encroaching on one another’s territories for the last month. Tim was certain that this latest theft would act as a catalyst for White Shark to finally make a stand.

Tim had managed to get hired on as a server at The Fish Tank and was planning on using that as an in to get more intel from Sharks men. Then Bruce had found out. Within a day Dick was hired on as the new bartender after their last one was mysteriously arrested for possession of narcotics and illegal firearms. Both were supposed to start at 9:00pm but Dick had said he would meet Tim at the club.

Looking down at his watch again he saw that the time now read 8:55pm. He was about to just leave Dick and walk-in by himself when he felt a heavy hand come down on his shoulder and squeeze gently. Looking up his own pale blue eyes met Dick’s brilliant cerulean.

“Hey Johnny sorry about the delay, the old man kept talking my ear off took me forever to escape.” At least Dick was smart enough to not say his real name so close to the club. Shrugging out from under his brother’s hand he started moving towards the door.

“It’s fine Tom let’s just go.” He didn’t look back, if he did he might have seen the smile on Dick’s face drop just a fraction at the curt tone before settling back into place. Pushing the door open he surveyed the dim nearly empty room. A large dance floor sat in the middle of the club, a DJ booth at the helm was overshadowed by a 25ft aquarium empty except for a large Great White Shark which slowly circled the tank.

“Beautiful ain’t she?” A voice came from Tim’s right side and turning around he came face to face with a tall bald man, unassuming outside of his teeth which had been filed into points. Hammer-Head, Warren’s second-hand and the man who hired Dick and Tim. “You the Bolen Brothers?” Tim went to open his mouth but was stopped by Dick flinging his arm around his shoulder.

“That’s us, I’m Tom and this is my little brother Johnny.” Hammer-Head nodded and gestured for them to follow him towards the bar.

“Gotta say, you fellas are a godsend. Out a bartender and a server within two days of one another. What are the odds huh?”  _ Higher then you’d think  _ Tim thought. “Anyway, this is where you’ll be set up Tommy, said you’d bartended before so I’m not going to have to hold your hand tonight and walk you through it will I?”

“Nah, I’ve been working in bars since Johnny here came up to my calf I’ll be alright.” Hammer-Head peered down at Tim, raising an eyebrow at him.

“And what about you kid? You’ve been serving since you were at his calf?” Tim went to respond but Dick cut him off again with a laugh.

“Not quite that long, but he’s got experience, you won’t need to worry about him.” That was how the rest of the night went. If someone asked Tim a question Dick would suddenly appear and answer for him. If Tim was told to get something from the back, Dick would run off before he could and get the item for him. At one point White Shark had ordered drinks for his private table, an opportunity that would be perfect for overhearing any potential moves they were making against the Penguins crew. But before he could make his way over to them Dick had grabbed the tray from Tim’s hands and walked over there himself. And because Dick was charismatic he somehow managed to stay at the table an extra ten minutes chatting up the Shark and making his men laugh. 

The whole night Tim felt waves of irritation flood through him at his brother’s actions. This was his mission and Dick didn’t even trust him to lead it.

Eventually, 9:00pm became 3:00am and the club slowly began to empty until finally all who remained were Tim, Dick, and a man Hammer-Head introduced as Anchovy who looked over the club when Hammer-Head joined White Shark in the back with the rest of his crew. Anchovy, who was alike in his namesake both in smell and in stature turned to the two when the last remaining club goer stumbled out.

“You two can start taking the trash out in the back, I gotta go take a leak.” Quietly Dick and Tim began cleaning up the club, every once in awhile Tim looked up to see Dick watching him work. Every time he did he felt his anger surge more.

“What?” Dick looked up, once again surprised at the curt tone.

“What do you mean, what?”

“I mean what do you want, you keep looking at me.”

“I don’t keep looking at you.”

“I’m not blind”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“I’m not stupid either.”

“Ti-Johnny of course your not, why would-”

“Despite what you may think I am capable of doing a simple job. In fact, I’m capable of doing non-simple jobs as well. Something you would have seen if you hadn’t been stepping on my toes all night.”

“Of course you are, I wasn’t trying to step on your toes.”

“Well, you did.”

“....I’m just trying to help.”

“Well then do me a favor and stop trying.” Grabbing the trash bag he had just filled Tim walked out of the room and headed towards the hallway leading to the dumpster. He heard Dick follow quickly behind him.

“Johnny.” Tim didn’t stop. “Johnny wait.” pushing open the back door he made his way to the dumpster and threw the bag in. “Johnny stop.” Without looking up he pushed past Dick back into the hall.”Goddammit, Tim wait for one minute!” Looking around frantically to see if anyone had heard his name, he turned angrily towards his brother when he found no one.

“What the hell is your problem Dick.” Dick crossed his arms in front of his chest, a look of concern plastered across his face.

“I could ask you the same thing Timmy your not acting like yourself, you haven’t since you got back and I’m worried.”

“Well good for you.”

“Timmy please, what did I do to piss you off? Just tell me what I did and I’ll fix it.” Tim looked at Dick incredulous, searching for any sign that Dick was purposely being obtuse. When he couldn’t find any Tim felt rage flare up hot and fast. Dick had ruined his life and it didn’t even matter enough to him to remember.

“What did you do to piss me off? Are you fucking serious?” Dick flinched at the curse but Tim continued. “You took everything away from me, everything that I had built, my life, my family. You took it and you gave it to someone else. You gave Robin to someone else!” It was Dick’s turn to look around to make sure no one heard, but Tim was on a roll. It was as though months of anger and heartbreak were suddenly leaking out of him. 

“Bruce, my Dad, had just died and the one good thing in my life you tore from my hands and gave to a literal assassin. Then when I told you Bruce was alive you dismissed me, made me feel crazy, told me that I was just grieving. My life was falling apart and you were off playing house! And I know you think I’m useless Dick, I know you think I can’t do my job. But I can. I spent the last year and a half alone, by myself. Fighting by myself, working by myself. I found Bruce by myself! But you swoop in here and take control of MY mission and you make me feel incompetent and then you have the gull to ask me what you’ve done, how you can fix it?” Tim let out a loud harsh laugh and took satisfaction in the way Dick flinched from it. 

“Well spoiler alert Dick, you can’t fix this.” 

It was silent for a moment, Tims loud breathing seemed to fill the space as Dick watched him, a look of horror and guilt mixed on his face. Distantly they could hear someone shuffling boxes in a room down the hall but they paid no attention to it.

“I’m not going to ask for your forgiveness.” Whatever Tim had expected Dick to say it wasn’t that. “I know I don’t deserve it, Timmy. I know I fucked up. The whole time Bruce was gone and you were off running around on a different continent I knew. I won’t apologize for Damian but I will apologize for how I handled it. And it’s okay if you don’t accept it, Timmy. But one thing I need you to accept is that I don’t think you’re useless.” Tim went to turn away not quite ready to hear whatever lies were about to escape from Dick’s lips. Dick however stepped forward and gently took his chin, turning Tim’s head so he met Dick’s eyes.

“You’re not useless Tim, your not stupid or incapable. You’re brilliant. You’re the smartest person I know. You’ve done so much, so much I could never do and I’m so  _ so _ proud of you Timmy… Robin is Batman’s protege and you’re not a protege Timmy you’re a genius, you’re a hero on your own and you deserve to stand out from under someone’s shadow. I’m so proud I can call you my brother.” A small smile lit Dick’s face and Tim froze. He wanted so badly to believe the words, wanted to believe Dick. But he was so hurt and Dick was a performer, how could he be sure this wasn’t another one of his performances? Pulling himself out of Dick’s grasp he took a step back.

“I’m not sure if I believe you. I’m not sure I want to be your brother.” A look of despair flickered on Dick’s face before he turned from Tim. Running a hand through his hair he took a step towards a closed door and gave a heavy sigh.

“I understand, my actions have consequences, I can-” Suddenly Dick cut off. For a moment it was silent and Tim watched confused as the man took a step closer to the closed door.

“Dick? What-”

“Shhh.” Tim walked closer as Dick placed a hand on the doorknob a small ticking noise made it’s way to Tim’s ears. After a moment Dick pushed the door open. For a second neither could see inside the darkroom. But after a moment Dick turned to Tim in panic just as Tim’s eyes locked in on a small device counting down from 10.

“Run!” With a push and a terrified scream, Dick sent Tim towards the back exit they had just come from. The two sprint down the hall. Mentally Tim counted as they moved towards the open door, the dumpster just insight. 

They weren’t going to make it. 

He felt Dick’s hands firmly on his back as he was forcibly pushed forward just as a loud boom filled the air. One moment he was inside the building the next he was lying facedown on the cold concrete. Heat and glass blasting above him. It sounded like a giant roar and the Earth felt like it was shaking. For a moment all Tim could do was tuck his head into his chest, place his hands over his head, and wait.

The boom seemed to last forever, loud crashing and glass breaking filled the air until finally, it went still. 

Slowly Tim sat up and took stock. All limbs accounted for and functioning, his clothes were covered in dirt and ash but outside of a few nicks and scratches, he remained untouched. Looking around him he sought out the familiar shape of Dick, sure he had been right behind him.

“Dick?” Standing up he turned back towards the club and gasped at the sight. 

Half of it was completely collapsed, the doorway he had come from was no longer open instead it was blocked by a large slab of concrete. Fire poured out of the windows from the parts of the building still standing and distantly he could hear one of Shark’s men screaming. His stomach dropped as though filled with lead. 

Dick wasn’t out in the alley with Tim, Dick was still in the building. 

“DICK!” Running towards the now blocked doorway Tim pulled out his phone and called the first person on speed dial. Placing the phone in between his shoulder and ear he began removing all the rocks he could while it rang.

“Aren’t you supposed to be undercover Timmy? If your calling to complain about Dick it’s going to have to wait. Bruce got sent off on a league issue and I’m-”

“Barbara!” His frantic yell cut Oracle off and in an instant her joking tone turned serious.

“Tim what’s wrong?” Placing his hands around the slab blocking the doorway Tim pulled fiercely. Groaning at the effort but not stopping as it shifted slightly.

“Explosion at The Fish Tank, we need help. B, Hood, Police, EMT’s, I’ll even take Robin as long as they get here quick.” Faintly he heard Barbara curse as she began typing furiously. He continued pulling on the concrete, it moved another inch.

“EMT’s and Police are on their way, but everyone’s out of Gotham. Superman put out a call earlier, Parasite teamed up with Ivy in Metropolis and everyone except you and Dick is there now. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, but Dick...He’s still in the building.” Another curse.

“Do what you can, I’ll try to contact B but they were going off radio Tim-” As Tim gave another pull the phone slipped from his shoulder to the ground. He paid no attention to it however as the slab of concrete began falling out of the way. As soon as the opening cleared Tim duck inside. Instantly closing his eyes when he was met with a flash of hot air and smoke.

“Dick! Can you hear me?” Blinking slowly he looked down at a large pile of rocks in front of him. Unremarkable had it not been for the tanned bloody hand poking out from under it. “DICK!” Without waiting Tim began to dig, flinging rocks away from the pile desperate to get to his brother. “Hang on Dick I’m coming. Can you hear me? I’m coming, you just got to hang on.” 

Though Tim’s adrenaline was propelling him forward it still took another 10 minutes to get to the bottom. He could hear the distant sound of sirens nearing just as he lifted a large rock to reveal his brother’s caved in chest. 

A chest that wasn’t moving.

Shifting upwards he lifted the rock covering his brother’s face and flinched at the sight. It wasn’t the amount of blood coming from his brother’s mouth and nose that frightened him. Nor was it the closed eyes. It was the lifelessness. The lack of tension in his eyebrows, the lack of smile on his lips. Pulling the rocks off his brother’s legs he gently pulled him from the building and laid him on the flat ground outside. Mindful of any possible back and neck injuries he may have.

Without hesitating he bent over and breathed two deep breaths into his brother’s body, watching as the broken chest struggled upwards. Placing his hands on said chest, he sent a silent prayer up above and began doing compressions. Hoping to God that he wasn’t doing more damage.

“Come on Dickie you gotta breathe, I know it’s hard but you have to. Once you do we’ll get you fixed up and Alfred will spoil you, and Cass will watch all the Disney movies you want. But you just gotta breathe.” Tim continued compressing, even as the sirens came closer, even as the sound of running people came towards him. Even as voice’s urged him to move aside so they could take Dick to the hospital. He kept compressing because if he didn’t then Dick’s heart would stop and that was not acceptable.

It wasn’t until a firm hand covered his did he look up and come face to face with The Commissioner. The older man was one of the few people Tim truly respected, and even though he had never said it Tim knew that Jim knew who they all were. Meeting his gaze he let himself be pulled away and watched as EMTs swooped in on his brother.

“Come on son, they got him they’ll take care of him.” 

  
  


******************************************

Six hours.

Dick had been in surgery for six hours before Tim was allowed to see him. Jim had stayed with him the whole time, some random officer had found Tim’s phone and brought it to the hospital. There were 11 missed calls from Barbara and after updating her she informed him that the rest of the family was still off radio. Dick was fighting for his life, and only Tim knew. 

When a Doctor had come out to inform him that Dick was in critical care but alive Tim had sent Jim home. He appreciated the man’s company but he needed to be with Dick. Walking into his brother’s room he was given the low down.

Collapsed lungs, broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a skull fracture, and a sprained wrist. Luckily his back and neck hadn’t taken much damage outside of bruising.

The sight of Dick swallowed in white sheets and wires wasn’t strange to Tim. They had all been injured enough that this was familiar. It was the silence that got to him, Dick Grayson should never be silent.

He sat by his brother’s bedside for hours and as he sat he ruminated. It’s not that he thought what he said to his brother before the explosion was wrong, or that he was being unfair to Dick. Tim stood by what he felt and what he said. What gave him pause was the knowledge of how close he almost came to losing Dick. The image of his brothers still chest forever imprinted in his mind. Tim realized that though he was angry he had never hated Dick, he probably never could. But more importantly, he never wanted to lose Dick.

The months of isolation fuelled by his hurt had not been easy. It’s never easy to hate someone you love, even when they give you a reason to. And Dick had not hurt him intentionally, Tim knew that. Whatever his anxiety or self-deprecation may think Tim now knew his brother without a doubt loved him. He proved that when he pushed Tim out of the building, knowing he would not make it. Logically Tim knew that he had projected a lot of his own fears onto Dick after his firing. Had used losing the Robin mantle as an example to prove his own doubts. And that wasn’t fair to Dick. 

Another hour passed and it was nearing 2:00pm when Tim finally heard from his family. A loud ringing interrupted his melancholy thoughts. Seeing Bruce’s name he answered the call and stood from his chair next to Dick’s bed moving towards the window.

“Bruce.”

“Tim.” Relief colored Bruce’s voice and Tim felt warm at the knowledge it was for him. “Are you alright? Barbara told us what happened, we’ve been off radio until about 10 minutes ago. Are you hurt?”

“I’m alright, just some scrapes and bruises.” Another relieved noise.

“Good...Dick, how is he?” At the question, the little bit of control Tim had been hanging onto broke. A small broken sob escaped from his chest.

“He wasn’t breathing for so long Dad. I kept doing compressions but he couldn’t breathe. And then I was just waiting for hours and no one would tell me what was going on or if he was okay. And all I could think about was, what if he dies thinking I hate him?” Bruce inhaled sharply.

“Oh Timmy, he knows that you don’t. He knows. We’ll be there soon okay. 30 minutes tops.” Taking in a deep breath Tim nodded, before realizing Bruce couldn’t see him.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll see you then.” Hanging up, Tim wiped at his face before putting the phone back in his pocket and turning back to the bed. The sight of bright unfocused blue eyes immediately catching his attention. “Dick.” Rushing back to the chair he grabbed his brother’s hand tightly. “Dick, how are you, do you need a nurse, water?” It took a moment for Dick’s eyes to focus in on Tim’s but once it did he tightly squeezed Tim’s hand.

“I’m okay.” Another sob came from Tim, now one of pure relief, and burying his head into his and Dick’s clasped hands he cried.

“I thought I lost you. I thought you were going to die and the last thing I ever said to you was that I wasn’t sure if I wanted you to be my brother.”

“Timmy-” 

“You are my brother.” A gentle hand ran through Tim’s hair.

“I’m sorry Timmy. About everything, about Robin.” 

“I’m sorry too.. I get it. I knew you were right when it happened, Damian needed the structure of Robin to learn to be better. But I was being selfish-”

“No Timmy.” 

“I was. It’s not a bad thing but I was being selfish, I was thinking about what was best for me opposed to what was best for the family. And I was so mad.”

“I deserved it, I could have handled it all so much better.” Tim finally looked back up and noticed Dick’s eyes were shining with unshed tears.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone to deal with everything when Bruce disappeared.” Dick smiled and shook his head.

“I shouldn’t have hurt you as I did.” Tim felt himself return the smile. Dick Grayson may wear many masks but never with his family. He wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t always right but at least he tried. The least Tim could do was try to. 

“I love you, Dick.”

“I love you too birdy.”


End file.
